Automatic locking device for a drawer

ABSTRACT

An automatic locking device for a drawer includes a hinge secured on one side of the drawer, a lever laterally attached to the hinge, a restoring element mounted on the hinge and a latch mounted on a frame. The latch corresponds to the lever. The lever is automatically engaged to the latch due to a restitution force of the restoring element when the drawer is closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a locking device, and more particularly to an automatic locking device for a drawer.

2. Description of Related Art

A drawer is widely used in much furniture, such as a table, a cabinet or a wardrobe, for containing objects. The conventional drawer may have lock for locking the drawer. However, the lock usually has a complicated structure and is operated with a key such that the manufacturing cost of the drawer is raised. In addition, the drawer may not be always maintained in a locked condition. Furthermore, the conventional drawer has no automatic locking device for locking the drawer when the drawer is closed to prevent the drawer from accidentally opening. Consequently, the conventional drawer is inconvenient to operate.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional drawer that has no automatic locking device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved locking device for a drawer, which automatically locks the drawer when the drawer is closed.

To achieve the objective, the locking device in accordance with the present invention comprises a hinge secured on one side of the drawer, a lever laterally attached to the hinge, a restoring element mounted on the hinge and a latch mounted on a frame. The latch corresponds to the lever. The lever is automatically engaged to the latch due to a restitution force of the restoring element when the drawer is closed. The lever has a first end extending through a panel of the drawer for user to operate the lever and a second end engaged to the latch. The second end of the lever is formed with a guiding plan and an engaging structure engaged to the latch. The latch has an engaging side that is selectively engaged to a periphery of the engaging structure of the lever, and a guiding structure formed on a free end of the latch.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an automatic locking device for a drawer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an automatic locking device for a drawer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the automatic locking device of the present invention when locking the drawer;

FIG. 4 is a top operational view of the automatic locking device of the present invention when being unlocked;

FIG. 5 is a top operational view of the automatic locking device of the present invention when closing the drawer;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the automatic locking device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the automatic locking device of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of the automatic locking device of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the latch and the restoring element of the automatic locking device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an automatic locking device for a drawer in accordance with the present invention comprises a hinge (10) adapted to be secured on one side of the drawer, a lever (20) laterally attached to the hinge (10), a restoring element (25) mounted on the hinge (10) and a latch (40) adapted to be mounted on a frame (30). The latch (40) corresponds to the lever (20). The lever (20) is automatically engaged to the latch (40) due to a restitution force of the restoring element (25) when the drawer is closed.

The lever (20) has a first end extending through a through hole (15) that is defined in a panel of the drawer for user to operate the lever (20) and a second end engaged to the latch (40) when the drawer is closed. The second end of the lever (20) is formed with a guiding plan (21) and an engaging structure (22) engaged to the latch (40). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guiding plan (21) is formed on a terminal of the second end of the lever (20), which is inward bent, and the engaging structure (22) is a through hole that receiving a free end of the latch (40).

The restoring element (25) is a stretch spring that has two opposite ends respectively secured on the hinge (10) and the lever (20).

The latch (40) has an engaging side (41) that is selectively engaged to a periphery of the engaging structure (22) of the lever (20), and a guiding structure (42) formed on a free end of the latch (40). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the guiding structure (42) is a ramp that is parallel with the guiding plan (21) of the lever (20).

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second end of the lever (20) is inward moved due to the hinge (10) and disengaged from the latch (40) when the first end of the lever (20) is outwardly moved. As a result, the user can freely open the drawer. With reference to FIG. 5, the user only needs to directly backward push the drawer to an original position of the drawer and the drawer is locked. The guiding structure (42) inward pushes the lever (20) when the guiding plan (21) contact with the guiding structure (42). The restoring element (25) pulls the lever (20) to an original position due to a restitution force thereof to automatically form a lock condition, as shown in FIG. 3, when the engaging structure (22) of the lever (20) moved over the latch (40).

With reference to FIG. 6 that shows a second embodiment of the lever (20) of the present invention, the second end of the lever (20) is bent toward the latch (40) and formed a hook, wherein the outer side of the hook is used as the guiding plan (21 a) and the terminal of the hook is used as the engaging structure (22 a) for engaging to the latch (40).

With reference to FIG. 7 that shows a third embodiment of the lever (20) of the present invention, the second end of the lever (20) is sequentially bent to form a vertical portion and an inclined portion, wherein the inclined portion is used as the guiding plan (21 b) and the vertical portion is used as the engaging structure (22 b) for engaging to the latch (40).

With reference to FIG. 8 that shows a fourth embodiment of the lever (20) of the present invention, the second end of the lever (20) has a fan-shaped block formed thereon corresponding to the latch (40), wherein the fan-shaped block has a curved portion used as guiding plan (21 c) and a vertical portion facing the latch (40), which is used as the engaging structure (22 c) for engaging to the latch (40).

With reference to FIG. 9 that shows a second embodiment of the latch (40) and the restoring element (25), the latch (40) has a cross-section that shows a right triangle, and has a hypotenuse corresponding to the hinge (10) and an adjacentside used as the engaging side (41 a). The vertex angle of the latch (40) is curved and used as the guiding structure (42 a). The restoring element (25) is a torsion spring sleeved on an axle (not numbered) of the hinge (10).

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. An automatic locking device for a drawer, comprising: a hinge adapted to be secured on one side of the drawer, a lever laterally attached to the hinge, a restoring element mounted on the hinge and a latch adapted to be mounted on a frame, the latch corresponding to the lever, the lever automatically engaged to the latch due to a restitution force of the restoring element when the drawer is closed, the lever having a first end extending through a panel of the drawer for user to operate the lever and a second end engaged to the latch, the second end of the lever formed with a guiding plan and an engaging structure engaged to the latch, the latch having an engaging side that is selectively engaged to a periphery of the engaging structure of the lever, and a guiding structure formed on a free end of the latch.
 2. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding plan of the lever is formed on a terminal of the second end of the lever, which is inward bent, and the engaging structure is a through hole that receiving a free end of the latch.
 3. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second end of the lever is bent toward the latch and formed a hook, thereby the outer side of the hook is used as the guiding plan and the terminal of the hook is used as the engaging structure for engaging to the latch.
 4. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second end of the lever is sequentially bent to form a vertical portion and an inclined portion, thereby the inclined portion is used as the guiding plan and the vertical portion is used as the engaging structure for engaging to the latch.
 5. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second end of the lever has a fan-shaped block formed thereon corresponding to the latch, thereby the fan-shaped block has a curved portion used as guiding plan and a vertical portion facing the latch, which is used as the engaging structure for engaging to the latch.
 6. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch has a cross-section that shows a right triangle, and has a hypotenuse corresponding to the hinge and an adjacentside used as the engaging side, a vertex angle of the latch being curved and used as the guiding structure.
 7. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restoring element is a stretch spring that has two opposite ends respectively secured on the hinge and the lever.
 8. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restoring element is a torsion spring sleeved on an axle of the hinge. 